I have just joined a gym and I'm rubbish at motivating myself to go after the first few weeks so I need a challenge. I am therefore going to swim the English Channel. Not all at once and not in the actual Channel. Obvs.

While I'm quite tempted by the idea of smearing myself in lard, the cold, the distance and the potential leptospirosis puts me off. My plan therefore is to swim the equivalent of the Channel which is 21 miles or 1,352 lengths of a 25m swimming pool. Each time I go swimming I will knock the number of lengths completed off until I have swum the whole distance. It may take me 3 months, it may take me a year but I will swim the whole distance eventually! It's almost exactly the same (sort of).

In all seriousness, any money raised will go to War Child who help children caught up in conflicts. Many of whom have had to make treacherous journeys across waters significantly more terrifying than a lovely private gym's swimming pool.

Having not really swam properly for 3 years and boasting a false hip, bad knees and a shoulder with a propensity for dislocation, this will be a challenge for me! I will update this page as I make my way through the distance. (Happy to accept a sweepstake on date of completion!).

Thank you, any donation however small is very much appreciated and will keep me motivated to keep chipping away.

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